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cousin betty-第114部分
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pretty chairs and a bed in an alcove; just now half hidden by a table
loaded with the remains of an elegant dinner; while two bottles with
long necks and an empty champagne…bottle in ice strewed the field of
bacchus cultivated by Venus。
There were alsothe property; no doubt; of Valeriea low easy…chair
and a man's smoking…chair; and a pretty toilet chest of drawers in
rosewood; the mirror handsomely framed /a la/ Pompadour。 A lamp
hanging from the ceiling gave a subdued light; increased by wax
candles on the table and on the chimney…shelf。
This sketch will suffice to give an idea; /urbi et orbi/; of
clandestine passion in the squalid style stamped on it in Paris in
1840。 How far; alas! from the adulterous love; symbolized by Vulcan's
nets; three thousand years ago。
When Montes and Cydalise came upstairs; Valerie; standing before the
fire; where a log was blazing; was allowing Wenceslas to lace her
stays。
This is a moment when a woman who is neither too fat nor too thin; but
like Valerie; elegant and slender; displays divine beauty。 The rosy
skin; mostly soft; invites the sleepiest eye。 The lines of her figure;
so little hidden; are so charmingly outlined by the white pleats of
the shift and the support of the stays; that she is irresistiblelike
everything that must be parted from。
With a happy face smiling at the glass; a foot impatiently marking
time; a hand put up to restore order among the tumbled curls; and eyes
expressive of gratitude; with the glow of satisfaction which; like a
sunset; warms the least details of the countenanceeverything makes
such a moment a mine of memories。
Any man who dares look back on the early errors of his life may;
perhaps; recall some such reminiscences; and understand; though not
excuse; the follies of Hulot and Crevel。 Women are so well aware of
their power at such a moment; that they find in it what may be called
the aftermath of the meeting。
〃Come; come; after two years' practice; you do not yet know how to
lace a woman's stays! You are too much a Pole!There; it is ten
o'clock; my Wenceslas!〃 said Valerie; laughing at him。
At this very moment; a mischievous waiting…woman; by inserting a
knife; pushed up the hook of the double doors that formed the whole
security of Adam and Eve。 She hastily pulled the door openfor the
servants of these dens have little time to wasteand discovered one
of the bewitching /tableaux de genre/ which Gavarni has so often shown
at the Salon。
〃In here; madame;〃 said the girl; and Cydalise went in; followed by
Montes。
〃But there is some one here。Excuse me; madame;〃 said the country
girl; in alarm。
〃What?Why! it is Valerie!〃 cried Montes; violently slamming the
door。
Madame Marneffe; too genuinely agitated to dissemble her feelings;
dropped on to the chair by the fireplace。 Two tears rose to her eyes;
and at once dried away。 She looked at Montes; saw the girl; and burst
into a cackle of forced laughter。 The dignity of the insulted woman
redeemed the scantiness of her attire; she walked close up to the
Brazilian; and looked at him so defiantly that her eyes glittered like
knives。
〃So that;〃 said she; standing face to face with the Baron; and
pointing to Cydalise〃that is the other side of your fidelity? You;
who have made me promises that might convert a disbeliever in love!
You; for whom I have done so muchhave even committed crimes!You
are right; monsieur; I am not to compare with a child of her age and
of such beauty!
〃I know what you are going to say;〃 she went on; looking at Wenceslas;
whose undress was proof too clear to be denied。 〃This is my concern。
If I could love you after such gross treacheryfor you have spied
upon me; you have paid for every step up these stairs; paid the
mistress of the house; and the servant; perhaps even Reinea noble
deed!If I had any remnant of affection for such a mean wretch; I
could give him reasons that would renew his passion!But I leave you;
monsieur; to your doubts; which will become remorse。Wenceslas; my
gown!〃
She took her dress and put it on; looked at herself in the glass; and
finished dressing without heeding the Baron; as calmly as if she had
been alone in the room。
〃Wenceslas; are you ready?Go first。〃
She had been watching Montes in the glass and out of the corner of her
eye; and fancied she could see in his pallor an indication of the
weakness which delivers a strong man over to a woman's fascinations;
she now took his hand; going so close to him that he could not help
inhaling the terrible perfumes which men love; and by which they
intoxicate themselves; then; feeling his pulses beat high; she looked
at him reproachfully。
〃You have my full permission to go and tell your history to Monsieur
Crevel; he will never believe you。 I have a perfect right to marry
him; and he becomes my husband the day after to…morrow。I shall make
him very happy。Good…bye; try to forget me。〃
〃Oh! Valerie;〃 cried Henri Montes; clasping her in his arms; 〃that is
impossible!Come to Brazil!〃
Valerie looked in his face; and saw him her slave。
〃Well; if you still love me; Henri; two years hence I will be your
wife; but your expression at this moment strikes me as very
suspicious。〃
〃I swear to you that they made me drink; that false friends threw this
girl on my hands; and that the whole thing is the outcome of chance!〃
said Montes。
〃Then I am to forgive you?〃 she asked; with a smile。
〃But you will marry; all the same?〃 asked the Baron; in an agony of
jealousy。
〃Eighty thousand francs a year!〃 said she; with almost comical
enthusiasm。 〃And Crevel loves me so much that he will die of it!〃
〃Ah! I understand;〃 said Montes。
〃Well; then; in a few days we will come to an understanding;〃 said
she。
And she departed triumphant。
〃I have no scruples;〃 thought the Baron; standing transfixed for a few
minutes。 〃What! That woman believes she can make use of his passion to
be quit of that dolt; as she counted on Marneffe's decease!I shall
be the instrument of divine wrath。〃
Two days later those of du Tillet's guests who had demolished Madame
Marneffe tooth and nail; were seated round her table an hour after she
has shed her skin and changed her name for the illustrious name of a
Paris mayor。 This verbal treason is one of the commonest forms of
Parisian levity。
Valerie had had the satisfaction of seeing the Brazilian in the
church; for Crevel; now so entirely the husband; had invited him out
of bravado。 And the Baron's presence at the breakfast astonished no
one。 All these men of wit and of the world were familiar with the
meanness of passion; the compromises of pleasure。
Steinbock's deep melancholyfor he was beginning to despise the woman
whom he had adored as an angelwas considered to be in excellent
taste。 The Pole thus seemed to convey that all was at an end between
Valerie and himself。 Lisbeth came to embrace her dear Madame Crevel;
and to excuse herself for not staying to the breakfast on the score of
Adeline's sad state of health。
〃Be quite easy;〃 said she to Valerie; 〃they will call on you; and you
will call on them。 Simply hearing the words /two hundred thousand
francs/ has broug
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